The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-11-24
WRECKED.
Terrific and Fatal Railroad Col
hsion Near Galveston-Two
Men Killed.
The Disaster Occurs in a Dense
Fog-Theory of the Awful
Accident.
Special Telegram to the Statesman,

SPVSAoi lc4cHEhlu W lHt SthtteLllhnl
GALVESTON, November ia serious collisioI
occurred at 10 O'Clock last night the Gulf Colo
RADIO q Santa Fe railroad, near Halls station
twenty-one miles from Galveston, between tn
north;bound 81. Louis express and water trail
bound south. Both engines were completed!
wrecked The baggage and express cars were con
sumed with their entire contents. Engineer Hitch
COCK and Fireman Compton, of the water train
were instantly, killed. Engineer Mike Hussey
and Fireman Haas, of the passenger train, arr
both badly injured and are now in the hospital
here. Baggageman VIM. Re, nolds and Express
man Jonas Levy were both seriously injured.
me wounded were brought TO Galveston early
this morning and everything possible Is being done
for them. the passengers were badly shaken M.
but none injured. An inquest will be held this
afternoon over the bodies of Engineer Hitchcock
and Fireman Compton.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
GALVESTON, November l9.-One of the worst
railroad accidents that has occurred In Texas for
several years happened about IL o'clock last night
within nineteen miles of Galveston, but several
miles distant from any telegraph station The &C.
cident occurred on the main line of the Gulf, Col.
orado " Santa Fe railroad, near HuIs switch
where the nOrth-bound s.. Louis express, which
left here at 9l5, crashed into locomotive draw.
ing ten care, carrying water into the city. The
passenger train was moving at speed of thirty
miles an hour, when trlghtful collision occurred.
The water train WINS also running at high rate of
speed in order to make the next station before the
passenger train arrived
n uense 10y prevented the nehullHntS being e6en,
and not until the engines were within a hundred
feet of each other did the engineer Hussey aud his
fireman Harriet discover the danger. Instantly
they both jumped, but both are seriously, If moi
fatally injured. Engineer James Hitchcock and
fireman Alexander Compton, of the water train,
we're instantly killed, their bodies being horribly
manglCd.
As the two iron monsters came together In their
terrible embrace, they both high In the air and
crashed through each other demolishing every
thing In their path. The combination baggage and
express car, which was full of baggage and
express matter and several large sacks of mail was
entirely destroyed by fire. with every veetage of ite
contents. Baggageman W. Ii. Reynolds and Ex-
press Messs niger Jonas Levy, were in this car at
work when the collision occurred. They were
rescued with great difficulty from the burning car
neer Mike Hussey has a fractured skull and other
wise hurt 1t Is thought he cannot survive,
while Fireman Chas. Ha riet is frightfully soalded
and burned.
The wounded are IN the hospital here in Gal
weston.
Immediately back of the express car was an
empty passenger coach. 1t doubtless saved the
pletely teescoped by the baggage car, and after
wards burned. Had not this car been ahead of the
other coaches the result would have been frghtful.
Ae 1t was, the passengers were greatly shaken and
bruised but none injured sufficiently to be taken 20
the hospital.
General Manager Webster Snyder accounts for
the accident on the ground that Engineer Hitch.
cock had forgotten about the express and paid the
forfeit of his life
The accident inflcts pecuniary loss on the com.
pany of about 100000 Engineer Hitchcock lived
at Temple, and was only 30 years old. Fireman
: ompt0n was resident Of Galveston, and leaves
an aged mother.